Michigan Shakespeare Festival will expand next year

This Thursday marks the opening night of the Michigan Shakespeare Festival.

This is the 20th anniversary season for the Michigan Shakespeare Festival. The company has begun rehearsing in costume for opening night on Thursday, July 17.

Credit Michigan Shakespeare Festival

The festival has been based in Jackson for its 20 years of performances.

But that will soon change.

The group has partnered with a theater in Canton, west of Detroit, to reach a broader audience.

Starting next year, the festival will expand to host three weeks of performances at The Village Theater at Cherry Hill.

Janice L. Blixt is the artistic director for the festival. She says they're excited to share these works with as many people as possible.

"The positive aspect of moving into Wayne County and having that connection to people in that area, the kind of connection that we already have with people here in Jackson, I don't think it can be anything but terrific for us and for our growth potential," Blixt said.

She says the majority of ticket buyers travel from outside Jackson County.

"If we want to expand and grow as a festival, if we want to add performances and become a serious, regional theater powerhouse, then we need to expand to where there are more people," Blixt said.

This year's performances include Hamlet, Cymbeline and The Importance of Being Earnest. Shows run through August 17.